Canadian Celebrities Support Ottawa Action Over Tar Sands

Where will you be on Sunday, Sept. 26? If you're anywhere near Ottawa, you might consider coming to the Ottawa Action, a peaceful civil disobedience about the tar sands planned by the Council of Canadians, Greenpeace Canada, and Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). The event, which is inspired by the recent Tar Sands Action in DC, begins at 10am at Parliament Hill, but a training is mandatory on the 25th for participants.

Here's the invitation letter:

"There comes a time..."

There comes a time when you need to take a stand. When sending letters and signing petitions isn't enough. When together we must say, "enough is enough -- not on our watch".

That time is now. We must act together for the health of our planet, our air, our water, our climate, and our children.

On September 26th we need you to come to Ottawa to join a historic action to oppose the tar sands. In a large peaceful protest, many will be risking arrest to tell the Harper government that we don't support his reckless agenda; that we want to turn away from the toxic tar sands industry; and that we oppose the direction he's taking this country.

In the U.S., people by the thousands are taking a stand. From Aug 20th to Sept. 3rd, thousands are pledging to risk arrest in daily acts of civil disobedience to convince President Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline that would bring dirty tar sands oil to the U.S. On September 26th, we will stand up to Prime Minister Harper to pressure him to stem the tar sands industry at its source.

Tar sands mining and other extreme forms of energy extraction like Arctic drilling, shale fracking, and nuclear power generation send us in the exact opposite direction that we, as a civilization, must go to ensure global survival. If we burn the tar sands, we blot our nation's reputation; if we leave that carbon in the ground, we'll do the world an enormous favour.

On September 26th we are asking you to come to Ottawa to participate in one of the largest acts of civil disobedience on the climate issue that Canada has ever seen.

Be a part of turning Canada away from the toxic tar sands industry. Help forge the future we all want to live in.

If you are interested and willing to take action email ottawaaction@gmail.com or go to www.ottawaaction.ca to sign-up today. It will be a powerful day, and more powerful if you're a part of it.

The event has received the support of several canadian celebrities, including Dave Thomas (SCTV), Graham Greene ("Dances with Wolves," "The Green Mile"), Mia Kirshner ("The L Word"), Kate Vernon ("Battlestar Galactica") and Peter Keleghan ("18 to Life").

Said Thomas about the tar sands:

"It is an environmental disaster and an ecological nightmare that must be stopped. It wouldn't be happening if our country's leaders weren't so deeply vested in the pockets of big business and had even a modest concern for the long-term welfare of their fellow citizens and the planet."

Where will you be on Sunday, Sept. 26? If you're anywhere near Ottawa, you might consider coming to the Ottawa Action, a peaceful civil disobedience about the tar sands planned by the Council of Canadians, Greenpeace Canada,